NAF Helicopters, Troops Save IGP’s Hometown From Boko Haram Attack

Troops of the Nigerian Military on Friday prevented Boko Haram fighters from overrunning Gaidam town in Yobe State.

Naija News reports that Gaidam is the hometown of the newly appointed Acting Inspector-General of Police, Baba Alkali as well as the immediate past governor of Yobe State, Senator Ibrahim Gaidam.

As earlier reported by this online news medium, Boko Haram terrorists who invaded the town around 6 pm while residents were getting set to break their Ramadan fast, came in eight vehicles and carrying weapons.

A resident of the community that spoke with Daily Trust, said, “Their motorcade moved straight to the location of Kafela primary school as they started sporadic shooting.

“We are currently indoors praying for our safety, that’s all I can say for now.”

But in further details on the incident, it was gathered that troops with assistance from the Nigerian Airforce ( NAF) helicopters, successfully repelled the attack.

A military intelligence source quoted by PR Nigeria said several of the terrorists were killed in the counterattack as the attacking terrorists were forced to flee.

Meanwhile, the Presidency has backed its statement supporting the embattled Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Isa Pantami.

Recall that the presidency had earlier defended Pantami on Thursday, accusing the minister’s enemies and some Information and Communications Technology (ICT) companies of being behind the “smear campaign” against him.

Speaking during a Channels TV programme on Friday, presidential spokesman, Garba Shehu, compared the certificate forgery case of ex-minister of Finance, Kemi Adeosun, to the earlier support for terror groups expressed by Pantami.

Asked why the presidency let Adeosun go but was quick to defend Pantami, Shehu noted that the certificate forgery by Adeosun is more of a crime than the past extremist views of Pantami.

He stated that President Muhammadu Buhari’s response “would have been different” if Pantami had forged his certificate as Adeosun did.

Shehu said Pantami’s case only involved people probing his thoughts during the said lectures.